Piping and method of producing same



March 16, 1948. c. SEAMAN PIPING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME 4 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1945 IN VEN TOR. =6; a 5 .SEAM/W A TTORNfY C. SEAMAN March 16, 1948.

v PIPING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20, 1945 ATTORNEX INVENTOR. CHARLES SEAMAN MM 16, 1948. c. SEAMAN 2,437,979

PIPING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed Feb. 20, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 30 IN VEN TOR.

CHARL 5 JEAMAN A TTOR/VEX arch 16, 1948; c, EA AN 2,437,979

PIPING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed Feb. 20, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 16 CHARLES SEAMAN Patented Mar. 16, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Charles Seaman, Jamaica Estates, N. Y.

Application February 20, 1945, Serial No. 578,852

3 Claims.

This invention relates to piping and to a method of making the same.

One of the usual procedures of making a piping comprises feeding a binding material longitudinally throughout its length with the edges thereof turned inwardly through the path of a vertically reciprocating needle whereby all of the plies of the folded binding are stitched with a straight row of stitches. When the piping is to be attached to a base fabric, the latter is positioned between the juxtaposed inner folds and the thus assembled materials passed through the path of the vertically reciprocating needle. Such a binding, due to the straight row of stitches passing through all the plies of the binding and the base fabric, when present, imparts a certain degree of rigidity to the product. Frequently, when longitudinal stress is applied in the direction of the stitches, such stitches may break and impair the appearance of the product.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved piping.

Another object of this invention is to provide a piping which is secured at spaced intervals throughout its length by cross-stitches.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a method of producing a piping of the type above mentioned.

Other and additional objects will become apparent hereafter.

The objects of the invention are accomplished, in general, by guiding a binding material folded longitudinally throughout its length with the edges thereof turned inwardly to the feed dogs of a sewing machine so that the inner bend of the binding is in close proximity but out of the path of travel of a normally vertically reciprocating needle, and at predetermined intervals of time causing the needle to form substantially V-shaped cross-stitches which penetrate all the plies of the binding adjacent the inner bends thereof.

The above method can be practiced on a standard sewing machine provided with a suitable folder and with a mechanism having means which will cooperate with the normally vertically reciprocating needle at predetermined times to form a substantially V-shaped cross-stitch. Guide means are provided intermediate the folder and needle to properly position the folded binding with respect to the needle.

The invention will become more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed de- 2 scription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus {or producing the piping of the instant invenion;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view looking to the left in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an end view looking to the right in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the needle-shifting means and also showing, in section, how it is mounted;

Figure 6 is an end view looking to the left in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the mechanism for actuating the needle-shafting means;

Figure 8 is a top plan view showing the arrangement of the folder and the guide for positioning the folded piping during its travel through the machine to the needle;

Figure 9 is a front view, with the folder per se omitted, to show the details of mounting the folder and guide on the machine;

Figure 10 is .a perspective view of the folder;

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the binding is folded;

Figure 12 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the finished material;

Figure 13 is a section taken on the line i3-l3 of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a section taken on the line I l-l4 of Figure 12;

Figure 15 is a rear view of the finished material; and

Figure 16 is a section taken on the line l6l6 of Figure 15.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts, the reference numeral I designates the base of a sewing machine head of any standard type carrying a standard and an overhanging arm 2 provided at one end with a needle head 3, in which reciprocates a needle bar 4 carrying a needle 5. On the opposite end of the overhanging arm, there is a pulley 5 which is driven from any suitable source of power, such as a belt or otherwise. The pulley 6 is operatively connected to a shaft 1 which is provided with known means for reciprocating the needle bar 6. Slidably mounted in the head 3 is a presser foot bar 8 which is adapted to be drawn upwardly by means of a manually actuated lever lfl. A presser foot l2 is secured on the presser foot bar 8 by means of a set screw I4. On the rear of the overhanging arm '2 (as shown in Figure 2), there is provided a stud I6 on which there is pivotally mounted a lever I8 intermediate its ends. Though not shown in the drawings, one end of the lever I8 is engageable with the presser foot bar 8 and the other end, which terminates beneath the base I, is adapted to be engaged by the knee of the operator to elevate the presser foot bar 8.

The machine, as shown in Figure 4, is provided with feed dogs 20 which are carried on a fourmotion feed dog-operating lever 22. of the feed dog-operating lever 22 is pivoted at 24 to one end of a link 26, the other end of the link 26 being secured on a rock shaft 28. The

opposite end of the feed dog-operating lever 22 One end is provided with a slot 30. A pin 32 is positioned in the slot and is mounted eccentrically of a rock shaft (not shown).

The machine is also provided with a heck 36 and a bobbin case 38 in which a bobbin is secured in the usual manner. The machine is also provided with a throat plate 42 having slots, through which the feed dogs pass, and a sliding cover plate 44. The throat plate 42 is also provided with an aperture 45 through which the needle passes.

The details of construction of the sewing machine head and appurtenant mechanisms thus far described are those found in any standard sewing machine, such as a 95-10 Singer sewing machine.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the presser foot I2 is provided with a curved toe 46 and is positioned in spaced relationship rearwardly of the needle 5.

The mechanism for producing the crossstitches is carried on a bracket 50 provided with a hole 52 whereby it is securely positionedon the stud I6 on the rear of the overhanging arm. As shown in Figure 4, the bracket 56 is also supported on the machine head by means of a support 54, oneen'd of which is secured by means of the screw 56 to the bracket, and the other end thereof being secured to the machine head at 58.

The needle-shifting means (as shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6) comprises a needle pusher finger 60 which is secured by means of a set screw 62 in an aperture in a horizontal member 64 of an L-shaped support. The member 64 extends in a horizontal direction beneath the needle head 3 and terminates intermediate the needle 5 and the presser foot I2 and in spaced relationship thereto. The pusher finger 60 is bent to provide a leg 65 which extends in a horizontal direction toward the operator and which terminates to the left of the needle and is normally in spaced relationship thereto. The leg 65 is adapted to engage and shift the needle 5, as will be hereafter explained. Adjacent its free end, the leg 65 is provided with a needle-engaging surface 86 which tapers toward the front thereof. in order that the surface 86 eifectively engages the needle 5, it is preferably roughened, such as by being corrugated (See Figure 5).

The horizontal member 64 is made integral with a vertical member 10, which is provided with a boss I2 at the top thereof. A post 14 is adjustably mounted in the boss 12 and is secured in adjusted position by a set screw I6. The post I4 is secured at its top, in any convenient manner, as by welding, to one end of a spring I8, the other end of the spring 18 being secured by screws 80 to a forwardly extending and downwardly in- 4 clined arm 82 of the bracket 50. The shape of the bracket suspended from the spring I8 is such that the surface 66 of the pusher finger 60 will be normally positioned to the left of and in slightly spaced relationship with respect to the needle (as shown in Figure 1), so that the needle may reciprocate in its normally vertical path without engagement by the pusher finger, and also so that upon movement of the support the surface 66 will move to the right (in Figure 1) to engage the needle and push it toward the right. Due to the resiliency and flexibility of the "needle, the pressure exerted by the finger 69 on the needle will bend or incline the needle below the shank thereof until the surface 66 of the pusher finger 60 is moved out of engaging con- ,tact therewith.

To impart the necessary movement to the L-shaped support which carries the pusher finger 60, the member 64 is provided with a downwardly extending pin 80 which is adapted to be engaged by a finger 92 at predetermined periods of time whereby the desired movement of the needle pusher finger is effected. The finger 92 is bent (see Figure l) downwardly and the downward portion 93 curved so that the free end thereof is disposed to the left of the pin 90 (as shown in Figure 1). The horizontal portion 84 of the pusher finger 92 is adjustably mounted in a boss 95 and a housing 96 carried on a rock lever 98. The rock lever 98 is secured to a rock shaft I00 mounted in a bearing I02 formed at the free end of the arm 82 'of the bracket 50. The horizontal portion 94 of the pusher finger 92 is provided with an enlargement I06 which is slidably mounted in the boss 95 and the housing 96. Extending fromthe enlargement I06 is a threaded stem I08 which cooperates with a knurled headed nut -IIO whereby the pusher finger 92 may be adjusted so that it can engage the pin at the desired intervals. A spring II2, coiled around the stem I08 and secured between one end of the enlargement I06 and the shoulder 91, helps to maintain the pusher finger 92 in proper position.

The portion II4 of the pusher finger 92 which is adapted to engage the pin 90 is provided with a surface tapering toward the free end thereof. It is apparent that when the surface II4 of the pusher finger 92 is brought into engagement with the pin 90 by rocking of the lever 98 in a direction away from the operator (to the left in Fig. 5), it will cam the L-shaped support to the right (as seen in Fig. 2), whereby the needle pusher finger 60 will engage the needle and incline it also to the right. When the surface II4 of the pusher finger 92 is not in engagement with the pin 90, the spring "I8 will serve to position the bracket so that the pusher finger 92 will be in ineffective position with respect to the pin 80.

As previously mentioned, the finger 92 is actuated at predetermined intervals to effect bending or shifting of the needle 5, and the means for actuating said pusher finger 02 will now be explained. On the rock shaft I00, one end of a slotted lever I20 is secured by means of a screw I22. The slot I24 of the slotted lever I20 (:0- operates with a pin I26 carried on one end of a lever I28, the other end of the lever I28 being secured to an eccentric I32 secured to one end of a shaft I34. A Wing nut I36 cooperating with the pin I26 secures the lever I28 in adjusted position in the slotted lever I20.

The shaft I34 is rotatably mounted in a bearing I88 at one end of an arm formed integral with the bracket 50. The shaft I34 (as shown in Fig- 'u'res 1 and 3) is also rotatably carried in a boss E40 of a bracket I42 secured to the sewing machine head by means of screws I46. The shaft I34 carries a pulley I50 which cooperates with a belt I52 which is driven by a pulley I54 attached to the drive shaft 1 of the machine adjacent the driving pulley 6 thereof. A housing I60 is appropriately mounted on brackets I 62 to surround the pulleys I50 and I54 and the belt I52. It is to be noted that the drive shaft I34 is disposed at the rear of the machine, below the overhanging arm 2 and above the work support.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that during operation the needle 5 will reciprocate in its normally vertical path of travel and make straight stitches. At predetermined intervals, the pusher finger 92 will engage the pin 90 and shift the support suspended from the spring 18. needle-engaging finger 60 to engage the needle 5 below the shank thereof and incline or bend it so that, while so engaged, the path of the needle will be at an angle-with respect to its normal path of travel. Before the needle presents the thread to the looper, such as just prior to completely penetrating the goods, the finger 92 will release the pin 90, whereby the spring 18 will restore the bracket, and particularly the member 84, to its normal position whereby the needle pusher finger 92 will release the needle and the latter, due to its inherent resiliency, will resume its normal vertical position so that the hook of the machine may cooperate with the loop of thread formed thereby. The bending of the needle and the restoration thereof to its original position, as hereinbefore described, produces a cross-stitch. The size of the cross-stitch is controlled by adjustment of the lever I28 in the slotted lever I20 and by the adjustment of the actuating finger 92 within the housing.

In order to fold the binding material, there is provided a folder I10, which is of a standard and well-known type, and which will fold a binding material fed therethrough into a substantial W-shape and then, as it is bent at substantial right angles to its path of travel in the folder and over a concave member I12, it will be formed into substantial U-shape with the ends thereof turned inwardly to form at least four plies. The folder at its delivery end is also provided with a pair of the usual looped wire edge limiting members I14.

As shown in the drawings and particularly Figures 1, 10 and 11, the folder I10 is positioned so that after the binding passes over the concave member I12 the folded binding will pass from the folder in a substantially more or less horizontal direction and the top edge fold will be disposed above the bottom edge fold. This is accomplished by disposing the folder I10 so it lies in a substantially vertical plane. The folder I10 is secured at the back thereof, as by soldering, to an upwardly extending flange I16 of a plate I18. The plate I18 is provided with a slot I80 whereby the folder may be adjustably positioned on the machine, as hereinafter described.

From the foregoing description of the folder,v

The shifting of the support will cause the and that the folded binding travels in a direction more or less horizontal and away from the operator. V

In order to properly position the folded binding with respect to the needle, there is provided a pair of guide members which cooperate with the top and bottom edge folds respectively. As shown in Figures 1 and 9, the upper guide, which cooperates with the upper edge fold, comprises an upper member I92, which cooperates with the outer ply I86 of the upper edge fold, and an inwardly extending element I94 which cooperates with the under surface of the inner ply I84 of'the top edge fold. A vertical element I96 joins the elements I92 and I94 and cooperates with the inner bend 200 of the upper edge fold. The lower guide is similarly constructed and the member I92 thereof cooperates with the outer ply I90 of the bottom edge fold, and the inwardly extending element I94 cooperates with the inner ply I88, and the vertical member I96 cooperates with the inner edge 202 of the lower edge fold. In order to positionrthe guides in the machine, the members I92 and I92 are formed at the end of a pair of plates 204 and 204' respectively which are bent so that they are spaced from each other, as shown in Figure 9, the bent portions being of the shape substantially asshown in Figures 1 and 8. The horizontal portion of the plates 204 and 204' are positioned on a plate 205 and such three plates are secured by means of a threaded extension 208 which passes through aligned holes formed in said plates and in the base of the machine. The threaded shank 208 extends from a post 2 I0 having a knurled head 2I2. The purpose of such post will appear hereinafter.

It will be noted that the guides are positioned in the machine so that the folded binding will be directed to pass beneath the presser foot I2 for feeding by the feed dogs 20 and in close proximity to the path of travel of theneedle, but-the needle during its normally vertical reciprocation will not penetrate any of the plies of the folded binding, In other words, the guides position the folded binding so that upon being fed therethrough the inner edges 200 and 202 of the top and bottom edge folds respectively will pass through the machine slightly to the right of the needle 5. The guides also impose a slight tension on the folded binding and serve to iron out any puckers which may be in the folded binding or base material.

A knurled headed screw 220 passing through the slot I and secured in a hole of the supporting plate 206 secures the folder in adjusted position.

In operation, after the folder and guides have been attached in place and the position of the folder adjusted in proper relationship with the guides, the binding'material I82. fed from a suitable source of supply, is passed about the post 2) and thence fed into the folder I10. leaving the folder, the folded binding passes through the guides, as above explained, and there-- after beneath the presser foot I2 cooperating with the feed dogs 20 to feed the material through the machine. When the piping is to be attached to a base material, a guide plate 224'is secured, as by soldering, to the folder and a base material 226 is fed thereover with the edge to which the piping is to be attached positioned intermediate the inner plies of the top and bottom edge folds at the bend of the folded binding (see Figure 11) It is to be noted that the base fabric 226 also passes through the guide and lies between the members I94 and I94. The needle 5 will recipro Aftercate in a normally vertical path and will pro duce straight stitches 230 which, as shown in:

Figures 12, 14 and 15', pass through only the base fabric 226. These stitches 230 are invery close proximity to the inner edges 200 and 202 of the top and bottom edgefolds but donot penetrate or pass through any part of the binding, At predetermined intervals of. time, the needle is actuated to produce substantially V-shaped crossstitches 232 which, as shown in Figures 13 and 16, penetrate all the plies of the binding and the base material 226- whereby the binding is secured to the base material 226. It is thus apparent that the binding is secured by spaced cross-stitches penetrating all the plies of the top and bottom edge folds in the vicinity of the inner bends thereof and also the base material 226. It is to be noted that intermediate the spaced: substantially V-shaped cross-stitches there are a plurality of straight stitches 230 which pass through the base material only and in close proximity tothe inneredges of the piping. The number of straight stitches 23E] intermediate the cross-stitches 232 is dependent upon the ratio of the pulleys 50, I54. If the pulleys have a 2:1 ratio as shown, a single straight stitch 238 will be formed. If the pulleys have a 4:1 ratio, three straight stitches will be formed, as shown in Fig. 12. Any desired ratio may be used.

In the foregoing description, the folded binding is described as having four plies, It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to such a specific construction of the piping. The top edge fold may be formed of two, three, four or more plies, and the bottom edge fold may also be formed of one, two, three or more plies. Depending on the number of plies in the edge folds and the material constituting the piping, a greater or lesser pulled effect is obtained.

In the embodiment previously described, the

piping is described as being stitched to a base fabric 226 by a single stitching operation. The invention is not restricted to such an embodiment. If desired, the base fabric may be omitted, in which case there will be produced a piping per se in which the top and bottom edge folds will be secured by cross-stitches and between the spaced cross-stitches there will be a a basefabric having an edge thereof positioned between'the inner ply of said top fold and the opposite edge portion of the folded binding, said top edge fold'and the opposite edge portion of the folded binding being secured by spaced crossstitches passing through all the plies of the top edge fold.- adjacent the inner bend thereof, the base fabric and the opposite edge portion, said spaced; cross-stitches being connected by a line of straight stitches which pass only through said base fabric.

2. A piping comprising a binding material folded longitudinally throughout its length with the edges turned inwardly to form top and bottom edge folds, each of said edge folds having at least an inner and outer ply, a base fabric having an edge thereof positioned intermediate said inner plies, said. edge folds secured by spaced crossstitches passing through all the plies of the top edge fold adjacent the inner bend thereof, the base fabric and all the plies of the bottom edge fold adjacent the inner bend thereof, said spaced cross-stitches being connected by a line of straight stitches which pass through the base fabric and do not pass through said folded binding material.

3-. A method which comprises folding a binding material longitudinally throughout its length with at least the top edge thereof turned inwardly to form a top edge fold having at least an inner ply and an outer ply disposed above the opposite edge portion of the binding, disposing the edge of a base fabric intermediate said inner ply and the opposite edge portion of the folded binding, feeding such materials with the inner bend. of said.- folded binding in close proximity but out of the path of travel of a normally vertically reciprocating needle whereby only the base fabric is stitched with a line of straight stitches, and at predetermined intervals causing the needle to form cross-stitches passing through all the plies of the top edge fold adjacent the inner bend thereof, the base fabric, and through the opposite edge portion of the folded binding to secure the folded binding to the base fabric.

CHARLES SEAMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Thompson Oct. 10, 1939 

